After an extensive 22-month, $53-million renovation, the Indiana Farmers Coliseum is the new home for the IUPUI basketball program, beginning in the Fall 2014. The Coliseum seats 6,800 guests for basketball and includes fully renovated locker rooms, a suspended state-of-the-art double ribbon video board, updated sound system and hospitality options throughout fully renovated concourses. The venue was renamed Indiana Farmers Coliseum as part of a 10-year naming rights agreement on Dec. 2, 2014.

Originally opened in 1939 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, the Coliseum's rich basketball history dates back to 1942 when the Indiana All-Stars defeated the Kentucky All-Stars 41-40 in the annual high school all-star game series. The Indiana Pacers called the Coliseum home from the 1967-74 and garnered three ABA titles (1970, '72, '73) during that era.

IUPUI previously called the Coliseum home intermittently between 1975 and 1979, under the direction of former Head Coach Kirby Overman. The then-Metros went 6-1 at the Coliseum in 1977-78, led by 6-foot-3 guard Julius Norman.

Other notable basketball events that have taken place at the Coliseum include a 1951 exhibition between the Harlem Globetrotters and the College All-Americans and a 1959 Globetrotters game, featuring Wilt Chamberlain. Indianapolis-native Oscar Robertson made numerous appearances in the Coliseum as a member of the Cincinnati Royals, beginning in 1960. The building also hosted the 1970 ABA All-Star Game and a 1971 contest between ABA and NBA stars. The Indiana Pacers most recently played at the Coliseum in 2008, hosting the New Orleans Hornets in an exhibition.

I don’t think we can complain. We had a few years to take advantage and we blew it, although I’m not giving up on us peaking this year for the LCA opportunity.

I said a few weeks ago that I’d be fine with Indiana Farmer’s hosting despite any advantage to IUPUI. It’s a great venue with history, and the smaller size will give the league a chance to actually near capacity if weather cooperates. Plus, you have to believe the league got a great deal. I don’t see the point in wasting resources and making deals with huge arenas like LCA when only a few thousand people show and the fans that DO show end up paying a high price. Plus it looks awful on tv.

Indy is centrally located, fun to visit, typically a few degrees warmer than other cities that bid, and awesome at hosting stuff. HL got it right.

"Anything that can be done in college basketball can be done from right here.” - Coach Davis

Rogobob77 wrote:For those familiar with Indy, is the Coliseum in or near downtown, is it in walking distance of hotels and bars?

No. It's actually closer to Butler and Hinkle than downtown Indy. It's out on the Fairgrounds. Northeast of the downtown.

As to my question as to how far has the HL fallen, I'm referring to a non-neutral court. LCA is a neutral facility. The MCC used to play the tourney in downtown Indy at a neutral facility. But, no. This was not a surprise. And our job will be to go out and win the tourney wherever it is played.

I think we just got LeCronied. I guess I'll never see a Horizon Tourney unless I get down this year. Not sure how long we can follow this Pied Piper. I wonder if Davis knew as much about the HL before he took this job as he does now, if he would have taken this job. Worst officials possible. I wonder if they have considered tearaway jerseys for AD just so he can run is cuts. Maybe I shouldn't just be down on the HL officials. The HL announcers on ESPN+ are even worse and I consider the Wright State guys Morons. Earl might be the lone knowledgeable announcer in the league. Well then there is our score keeper!

GET OUT OF THE HORIZON LEAGUE!!!!! This stalling crap is hurting our program. Even if we step back we will be stepping forward. If we would have left and dropped to a lesser league 3-4 years ago we would be in a more respected league today' We keep raiding the Summit and the Summit is still better than the HL.

upbasketballfan wrote:I think we just got LeCronied. I guess I'll never see a Horizon Tourney unless I get down this year. Not sure how long we can follow this Pied Piper. I wonder if Davis knew as much about the HL before he took this job as he does now, if he would have taken this job. Worst officials possible. I wonder if they have considered tearaway jerseys for AD just so he can run is cuts. Maybe I shouldn't just be down on the HL officials. The HL announcers on ESPN+ are even worse and I consider the Wright State guys Morons. Earl might be the lone knowledgeable announcer in the league. Well then there is our score keeper!

GET OUT OF THE HORIZON LEAGUE!!!!! This stalling crap is hurting our program. Even if we step back we will be stepping forward. If we would have left and dropped to a lesser league 3-4 years ago we would be in a more respected league today' We keep raiding the Summit and the Summit is still better than the HL.

Summit is still garbage. Even if they do sometimes out perform us in rankings, it has a poor reputation. I get the philosophy that wining the Summit and going to tourneys ultimately gets respect, but the sad truth is we wouldn’t have won Summit tournaments the past 5 years. Also, travel costs would be insane for UDM.

Have to hope Davis turns this ship around and the stars align (there’s an opening in The Valley or A10) at the right time. I doubt we’ll ever leave HL. I think the odds are better that university administrators from leagues like Valley/Summit/Horiozn get together and restructure those leagues/merge in order to lower operating costs in athletic departments.

"Anything that can be done in college basketball can be done from right here.” - Coach Davis

Tacitus651 wrote:Summit is still garbage. Even if they do sometimes out perform us in rankings, it has a poor reputation. I get the philosophy that wining the Summit and going to tourneys ultimately gets respect, but the sad truth is we wouldn’t have won Summit tournaments the past 5 years. Also, travel costs would be insane for UDM.

Have to hope Davis turns this ship around and the stars align (there’s an opening in The Valley or A10) at the right time. I doubt we’ll ever leave HL. I think the odds are better that university administrators from leagues like Valley/Summit/Horiozn get together and restructure those leagues/merge in order to lower operating costs in athletic departments.

Right , and a 14ft. Martian falls out of his space ship and lands on Liv. & 6 , unijured and is programmed to play basketball and after saying no to 200 + offers decides because we are good guys he will help out our program for a lifetime supply of Absopure. Get real guys! If we do not help ourselves no one else will. Every program that is capable of getting out of the HL has already done so or is hoping to ASAP. If I was Davis I am not sure how long I would let my kid get beat up by a bunch of bums to please a group of so called fans who will not be around in 5 years either by answering life’s buzzer or sitting at home waiting for the program to somehow miraculously right itself.

I don't see us going anywhere soon. Wish it weren't so. I think the ultimate destination would be the A10, the MVC second. I really do hope our administration has that as THE goal and is constantly working toward it. But really, beyond everything else (like do they want to expand, for one--answer no) on the court the job is to just win. As Mac likes to point out, you don't HAVE to be winning to move up. But it sure helps. Valpo doesn't join the MVC if they weren't winning. Butler doesn't leave the HL for the A10 and then the Big East if they weren't winning. In the early 90s, they were rejected by the MVC. Winning doesn't just mean the league gets a stronger program on the floor. It's also usually accompanied by better home attendance and being a better draw on the road.

So let's win.

BTW, until something like the MVC might be available, if we were to move, as UP suggest even to a lesser league--and I'm not sure there's any net advantage here--I'd be looking at the MAAC or possibly the Patriot. We're already in the MAAC for lacrosse. It has 11 schools, all private: 3 Jesuit , 5 other catholic , 1 protestant, 2 non-sectarian. In recent years we would have the 4th largest basketball budget, behind Siena and barely behind Fairfield and Quinnipiac. The schools are closer to our size in enrollment and more similar academically. Geographically it would be a leap for them and for us, but the Buffalo area schools--Niagara and Canisius--aren't bad trips at all.

The Patriot has 10 schools, all private except for Army and Navy. Loyola (Md) is Jesuit, Holy Cross is Catholic. We would have the largest basketball budget in the conference. The biggest plus would probably be that, academically, these are the types of schools that Detroit should want to pal around with.

But all this is hijacking the thread and getting way ahead of the game. For now, let's just try to win this league more than once every 20 years.

I watch a lot of college ball on tv and many conferences have plenty of empty seats. This isn’t unique to HL. Even what many on this board consider very good conferences, the kind we dream of joining, have some very low attendance games in their tourneys.

I think Indy is great and the venue is great. I still worry about the Monday - Tuesday thing though. If the semi finals and finals were Saturday - Sunday and I found out earlier that week that my team was going, I’d almost certainly book an impromptu trip and go spend a weekend in Indy. But with the Monday - Tuesday format I’d still be unlikely to go (and I’m someone who watches numerous HL games on TV every week). People have work obligations, families, etc.

"Anything that can be done in college basketball can be done from right here.” - Coach Davis

I believe that the Monday-Tuesday dates are determined by ESPN in its contract to televise the tournament finals on the main ESPN network instead of one of the derivative ESPN networks. In other words, if the HL wants the main ESPN network, then it has to be on a Tuesday because the bigger conferences get the better dates.